Philadelphia police will delay arrests for certain nonviolent offenses in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic but the commissioner insists they are “not turning a blind eye to crime.”
Police announced Tuesday that arrests for certain nonviolent offenses will be made “pursuant to an Arrest Warrant, which will be served at a later date.” The change in protocol means anyone accused of a nonviolent offense who would normally be arrested and processed at a detective division will now be temporarily detained for the purpose of confirming their identity and the completion of required paperwork. They’ll then be arrested at a later date.
Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw clarified the policy in a tweet early Wednesday morning, claiming her department “is not turning a blind eye to crime.”
